Description
Delight in these luscious Red Velvet Cheesecake Cupcakes, featuring moist red velvet cake layers swirled with creamy cheesecake filling and topped with a rich cream cheese frosting. Perfect for celebrations or a decadent treat, these cupcakes combine classic flavors with a beautiful presentation.
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcake Batter
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup buttermilk (or 1 tsp vinegar + milk to make 1 cup)
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp red food coloring
Cheesecake Filling
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- â…“ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ½ tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Tin: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners to prevent sticking and ease cleanup.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda to evenly distribute the leavening agents and flavors.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk, white vinegar, vanilla extract, and red food coloring until well blended, ensuring a smooth and vibrant batter.
- Make Cupcake Batter: Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until the batter is smooth and homogenous, taking care not to overmix.
- Prepare Cheesecake Filling: In another bowl, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, and vanilla extract until the mixture is fluffy and creamy, free of lumps.
- Assemble Cupcakes: Spoon cupcake batter into the liners about one-third full. Add about 1 to 2 tablespoons of cheesecake filling on top, then cover with more cupcake batter up to three-fourths full, creating a layered effect.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake layer (avoiding the cheesecake layer) comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool cupcakes in the tin for 10 minutes.
- Cool Completely: Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting and ensure the frosting sets properly.
- Make Frosting: Beat cream cheese and softened unsalted butter together until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla extract and beat until smooth and fluffy.
- Decorate: Pipe or spread the cream cheese frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. Chill the cupcakes briefly to set the frosting before serving.
Notes
- Use room temperature cream cheese and butter for smoother batter and frosting.
- Ensure to not overmix the cupcake batter to keep the cupcakes moist and tender.
- Adjust the amount of red food coloring based on your desired intensity of color.
- For best results, chill frosted cupcakes before serving to set the frosting fully.
- You can substitute buttermilk with milk plus vinegar if needed.
